Start your day with this nutritional powerhouse.

Sep. 23

I used to start my mornings with a few cups of coffee and toast with jam. By 10 am, I felt irritable and hungry. I now start my mornings with a delicious smoothie. I follow intermittent fasting and usually don’t drink it until 10 or 11 am. Smoothies can taste scrumptious and don’t have to look like mud or taste like chalk. The ingredient possibilities are endless and why not take advantage of the variety of healthy nutrients you can pack into one drink.

The essential ingredients should contain protein, fibre and fat. Avoid any added sugar-like granola, honey or maple syrup because a sugar rush is not a good look in the morning and you will become hungry very quickly. The only sugar in a smoothie should come from low glycemic fruit like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries and if you decide to add protein powder ensure that it’s sugar-free or has very little sugar. Experiment and consider adding; flax, hemp or chia seeds, unsweetened nut milk, nut butters, avocado, spinach, coconut oil or cinnamon.

I use a magic bullet to make my smoothies and place all of my ingredients in the cup at night and blend it in the morning as this guarantees that I won’t wake up and find excuses not to make a smoothie and reach for toast and jam instead.

As excellent and easy as smoothies are, they shouldn’t permit you to eat whatever you want for the rest of the day. I like to think of it this way; a healthy smoothie is a great way to start my day, it lowers my food cravings for sugar, provides me with protein, fibre, fat, keeps me regular, and I feel satiated for many hours. I eat healthy food for the rest of the day, with the occasional indulgence in a given week.

My typical smoothie recipe:

· 1 tablespoon each of hemp, chia, and flaxseed

· ¼ cup of frozen organic berries

· 1 scoop protein powder

· 1 scoop vegan collagen powder

· Water

· Unsweetened almond or cashew milk

· 1 tsp coconut oil

· 1 tsp cinnamon

Sometimes I’ll add ½ of an avocado, handful of spinach or other green veggies.

Have fun playing with ingredients and enjoy having a smoothie for breakfast.

Be well.

Anita

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Yoga is like a geologist for the soul; it can show you where to dig, and what to dig for, but the digging you must do yourself.

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